Clasp.



No. 7o2,77|. 1; v Pafented lune l7, I902! (LA. BRYANT.

' CLASP. (g ucmon ma Aug. 20, 1901.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES: l/WENTO/i E. I BY A770 NEYS I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. BRYANT, OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CON- SOLIDATED SAFETY PIN COMPANY, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

' CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,771, dated June 17, 1902.

I Application filed August 29, i901. Serial No. 73,649. (No model.)

To ail whom/it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. BRYANT, a citizen of the United States, whose residence and post-office address is Wakefield, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

to This invention relates to clasps of the general character of that shown in' Letters Patent of the UnitedvStates No. 553,972; and it has for its objectto overcome certain objections or difficulties incident to the manufacture and use of such clasps as heretofore constructed. Heretofore and as represented in the Letters Patent above referred to the clamping-jaw has been formed as a part of a spring member held within the rigid or frame member and the resilience of the spring has been relied upon to open the jaw when the same is released by the movement of the clamping-lever. The formation of this spring member contributes materially to the cost of production of the clasp, and such spring mem ber is the source of more or less trouble in the use of the article. If the spring is not properly tempered or loses its resilience, the clasp becomes useless. Furthermore, the

0 constantpressure of the clamping-jaw against the clamping lever during its operation causes the contacting parts to wear rapidly, so that for this reason the clasp soon becomes useless.

In accordance with the present invention the spring is done away with altogether and in its place is employed a grip or clampingjaw, which is loosely hung or pivoted within the frame and is positively engaged by the 0 clamping-lever to open as well as to close the clasp.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which for purposes of illustration and explanation it is represented as embodied in a convenient and practical form.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the improved clasp. Fig. 2 is a side View of the'saine with the jaw closed. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the jaw open.

Fig. 4 is a front end view. Fig. 5 is a view in section on the plane indicated by the line 5 5 of Fig. 1 with the jawclosed. Fig. 6 isa View similar to Fig. 5 with the jaw open. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the grip or clamping-jaw. Fig. 8 is a detail View of the clamping-lever.

The rigid or frame member a of the clasp or fastener is formed of a sheet of metal having the necessary stiffness and bent into a substantially U shape. It is cut out, as at b, a cross-bar being left, as at c, to form the bearing for the operating-lever. It also has on its opposite memberlugs or projections d, struck vup or otherwise formed to constitute .stops, as hereinafter referred to.

The grip or clamping-jaw e is formed from a thinner sheet of metal, which has the'requisite stiffness, but need not possess such a degree of resilience as would be necessary in the case of the spring-grip of the old construction. It is provided at its outer end with teeth or points f, and at its inner end is curved, as shown in g,or may be otherwise snitablyformed to permit the grip or ,jaw to be retained in position while swinging freely Within the frame member a. As shown, the grip or jaw is provided at its inner curved endwith a tongue h, which when the jaw has been slipped into position in the frame a rests 8o between the two stops d, thereby preventing the accidental dislodgment of said grip or I jaw. One or more shoulders iare' formed on the grip for engagement with the operatinglever, and such shoulders may be formed in a convenient manner by striking up a bridgepiece it, the forward portion of which is narrower than the rear portion, so that the shoul ders t' are exposed toward the front. Such bridge-piece when the-jaw is open may stand 0 up in the recess 6 of the frame a, thereby permitting the jaw tobe swung up close against the upper member ofsaid frame (It.

The operating-lever or clamping-lever Z is pivoted upon the frame a by bending a por- 5 tion 0% thereof around the-bar c of said frame, and other parts at of the same piece of metal are bent down to form fingers or claws to engage the grip or clamping-jaw. As shown clearly in Figs. 5, 6, and 8, the extremities 0 mo of the fingers n are arranged to engage the shoulders dot the grip or jaw e and to lift the same positively when the lever Z is moved to the position indicated in Figs. 3 and 6. When the lever is moved to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the extremities of the fingers bear upon the grip or clamping-jaw adjacent to the bridge-piece 7a and force the grip or clamping-jaw to its closed position, as shown in said figures, firmly grasping between the jaw and the opposing member of the frame on whatever material may have been introduced between the jaw and such member. It will be understood that the fingers n swing slightly beyond a line drawn from the axis about which the lever moves at right angles to the clamping-jaw, so that outward pressure of the grip or clamping-jaw is resisted and the clasp remains closed until the lever l is shifted.

In the operation of the improved clasp, as will be understood, the curved portion of the clamping-jaw slides around or swings in the curve of the frame. Its outer end is pressed down upon the fabric by the action of the fingers n against the jaw, as shown in Fig. 5, and when the operating-lever is turned to the opposite position, as shown in Fig. 6, the extremities o of the fingers n engage the shoul-.

ders t' of the jaw and move it positivelyaway from the fabric.

I claim'as my invention- 1. In a clasp, the combination with a U- shaped frame, of a clamping-jaw looselyhung or pivoted within said frame, and an operating-lever pivoted on one member of the frame and having a finger which positively engages said jaw both to open and to close the same, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a clasp, the combination with a U- shaped frame, of a clamping-jawloosely hung or pivoted within said frame and having a shoulder, and an operating-lever pivoted on one member of the frame and having a finger to engage said shoulder to open the jaw, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a clasp, the combination with a U- shaped frame, of a clamping-jaw loosely hung or pivoted within said frame and having a bridge-piece struck up to form shoulders, and an operating-lever pivoted on one member of the frame and having fingers to straddle said bridge-piece and engage said shoulders, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a clasp, the combination with a U- shaped frame, of a clamping-jaw loosely hung or pivoted within said frame, and an operating-lever having a part looped around a portion of the frame and other parts bent down to form fingers to engage said jaw, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a clasp, the combination with a U- shaped frame, of a clamping-jaw having its inner end curved to fit within said frame and swing therein, and an operating-lever pivoted on one member of the frame and havinga finger which positively engages said jaw both to open and to close the same, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a clasp, the combination with a U- shaped frame, having lugs near its curved part, of a clamping-jaw having its inner end curved to fit within said frame loosely and formed to engage said lugs, and an operating-lever pivoted on one member of the frame and having a finger which positively engages said jaw both to open and to close the same, substantially as shown and described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23d day of August, A. D. 1901.

CHARLES A. BRYANT.

In presence of- CHARLES F. IIARTSIIORNE, FREDERIC S. IIARTSHORNE. 

